When a small mining village starts to experience strange deaths in the nearby mines, the authorities discover that the caves are besieged by giant caterpillars with an appetite for humans! — If this isn't bad enough, a more... more &raquo horrifying discovery is made in their underground home? a giant flying creature that resembles the prehistoric pterodactyl. Soon after, a second Rodan appears and the two monsters begin to wreak havok across the world.

Flying at supersonic speeds, Rodan and his mate cause hurricane force wins that spin fighter jets out of control and anything that moves on the ground has become potential "lunch!"

Member Movie Reviews

Rodan is the second attempt at science fiction from this team before the genre degenerated into men in monster suits. A terrific "bad movie" vintage piece I'm glad to have in my collection.

1 of 2 member(s) found this review helpful.

Movie Reviews

As Good As Godzilla

Robert I. Hedges | 06/28/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

""Rodan" is frequently compared to studio-mate Godzilla in many ways. I think that "Rodan" is at least as well made and in some ways superior to any of the Godzilla films. For starters it is in color, which was a bit rare for a film made in 1956; furthermore, the color is vibrant and well preserved in this modern print. The acting is better than most of the Toho films, as is the script. The biggest difference is the sets, with the "Rodan" sets far and away more realistic looking than the Godzilla counterparts. The blending of real shots and miniatures is far above average for a film of this age as well. The 'bridge' set featured near the end of the film is probably the best miniature set in the history of Toho productions. Rodan is a message movie, and, of course, cautions us about the use of nuclear weapons. The use of these weapons causes first the release of some just plain wacky looking caterpillar monsters, followed by two Rodans. The Rodans terrorize Japan until eventually they are engulfed by a man made volcanic eruption, in one of the best endings in any of the films of this genre.Of all the Toho monster films, I think that "Rodan" is my favorite. Buy it today and see what monster movies are supposed to look like!"

From the Depths of the Earth Lurk Terrible Monsters!

M. Hart | USA | 12/29/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Following the success of the "Godzilla" monster movies, Toho Productions of Japan created another giant nuclear-age menace in the form of a giant pterodactyl known as "Rodan". However, in this early color film from 1956, there wasn't just one Rodan terrorizing Japan, there were two! Beginning in the quiet mining village of Kitamatsu on the southern Japanese island of Kyushu, the miners who are digging very deeply inadvertently open a passage into a cavern where frightening giant insects dwell. After several miners are mutilated, one of the giant insects enters the village and frightens mining engineer Shigeru Kawamura (Kenji Sahara) and his girlfriend Kiyo (Yumi Shirakawa). Determined to stop the giant insects, Shigeru, Police Chief Nishimura (Akio Kobori) and several miners go down into the mine; but a cave-in traps Shigeru in the cavern. When the nearby volcano suddenly becomes active, several giant sinkholes form around the mine. Unsure if Shigeru is still alive, he is found wandering in one of the sinkholes but is suffering from amnesia. While recovering from his ordeal, UFO's begin to terrorize the skies over Japan and several nearby countries. Finally, Shigeru remembers having witnessed the hatching of a Rodan in the cavern; but when the military tries to take them out, they discover that there are two them! Will Japan (and the rest of the world) be saved from these giant supersonic pterodactyls? You'll just have to watch this fun Japanese monster movie to find out!

"Rodan", a.k.a. "Sora no daikaijû Radon" in transliterated Japanese, has been one of my favorite Japanese monster movies since I was young. Though the color quality has aged and was not restored for the DVD, it is still a very entertaining film to watch. Other memorable characters in "Rodan" include the honeymooners (Kiyoharu Onaka and Yasuko Nakata), Professor Kyuichiro Kashiwagi (Akihiko Hirata, 1927-1984) and Professor Isokawa (Mitsuo Matsumoto). Overall, for being a wonderfully campy and very entertaining film, I rate "Rodan" with a resounding 4 out of 5 stars and highly recommend it any monster movie aficionado."

True Godzilla Fans Rejoice!!!

Roritr Kris | San Diego, CA | 01/29/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is the classic style of the old Godzilla movies I loved as a kid and still enjoy now. I am not too fond of the ending but other than that, this flick rocks!! If you are looking for a big reptilious bird monster for some laughs and entertainment, this is it. If you are expecting quality graphics, special effects and that lot, you aren't going to get it here. I just wish I could find all the Rodan movies...this was not the only one with Rodan in it. Have fun with this!! I have for many years!!"

Rodan you bet

Dmd | Sac,ca,usa | 11/24/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Rodan is a complete story. It includes people elements and the state of the arts special effects for the times. I have been looking for a clear copy of this film and this is it."